ASUU lampoons NUC over substandard universities

Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Benin Zone Coordinator, Anthony Emina-Monye has condemned the National Universities Commission’s penchant for approving state universities that fall short of the required standard for accreditation.
In a statement he signed, Anthony Monye- Emina, Lamented the dearth of infrastructures and gross under funding of tertiary institutions in Ondo State, particularly the state owned varsity, namely Adekunle Ajasin University, Akugba Akoko, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitikpukpa and Ondo State university of Medical Sciences, Ondo.
He said Adekunle Ajasin University and the Ondo State University of Science and Technology have been shut down for several months, owing to the inability of the academic staff to continue to work due to non-payment of salaries and gross underfunding of the institutions.
He then called on the Ondo State government to immediately pay all arrears of salaries owed its members in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko and Ondo State University, Okitikpupa without delay, noting that the Benin Zone is in solidarity with its members in Ondo State.
“Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko Staff are owed arrears of salary and deductions running into months. Between November 2015 and now, the university has not received a dime from the state government for the payment of salaries and also meet other running costs that are begging for attention. The case of Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitikpupa is very pitiable. The last time the staff received salary was in January 2016.”
Monye-Emina who decried the face of gross underfunding of these universities in the state, frowned at the establishment of the Ondo State University of Medical Sciences, a third university also located in the state.”For a state that does not have a relatively well-off financial base and that is highly dependent on federal allocation to own three universities is simply absurd.”
He vowed that ASUU at all levels of operation, will continue to push for quality tertiary education that contrasts evidently with the present efforts of governors to turn university education to political signposting and patronage.